Elephants
by baberuthless1994
Summary: Leah knows that even as a supernatural anomaly, imprinting is way too rare an occurrence to happen to her. At 9 years old, Isaac Maxwell knows that if his own parents can't love him, no one could. When Leah imprints on Isaac, will he be the missing piece she has been searching for? Can she change for the better, and be what he needs? RATED M FOR: dark themes and later lemons
1. The Imprint

**A/N: Hey guys! There aren't too many Leah imprint fanfics out there, and she's definitely one of the more underrated characters in the Twilight series. I hope you guys like the first chapter, and please leave any and all commentary for me! Kisses!**

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Imprinting.

The word alone drove a shiver up Leah Clearwater's spine. For everyone in the pack, for people like Jake, Paul and Jared, imprinting was a godsend. After all their hard work, they were rewarded with a perfect little imprint, some poor girl who could tolerate their moronic behavior, cook large quantities of food, and satiate their sexual needs.

It was disgusting, to say the least.

For Leah, imprinting didn't mean a lifelong soul mate. It meant heartache and betrayal and suffering, something she knew all too well. Her experience with Sam and Emily had been a dagger to the heart. Leah was known around the reservation as the broken girl, the girl who had gotten completely fucked over.

In conclusion, Leah was not a fan of imprinting, but who could blame her?

The one thing to come out of Sam and Emily's vicious backstabbing was that she knew this whole 'soulmate' business wasn't going to be a problem for her. Because unlike her very, very testosterone-filled packmates, she was a girl…a woman. Only a wolf because of some celestial mistake, she knew that her imprinting would probably be too impossible, even the Gods couldn't screw up that badly.

But deep inside, a twinge of fear nagged at Leah Clearwater's heart. Her pack had continued to defy the odds. A treaty was formed, along with friendships, to the very enemy that brought about their existence. Imprinting, which was supposedly a rare miracle, was slowly happening to every member of her pack. Her alpha, Jake, had even imprinted on a mutant vampire!

And in her own way, Leah knew she defied the odds as well, being the only female shapeshifter in Quileute history.

Leah Clearwater's world of misery, self-loathing and jealousy came to a halt on October 3rd, 2012.

Everything she thought she hated, loved, and knew came to a standstill because of a 9 year-old boy named Isaac Maxwell.

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The first thing Leah noticed that day was that it wasn't raining. In La Push, Washington, rain-less days were about as common as four leaf clovers. It wasn't even foggy or cloudy. Despite the crispness of the autumn weather, the sun was shining, and it was…dare she say…nice out?

Leah knew that the little brat, Claire, would be ecstatic because of the change of weather, running around to make sure Emily's house was up to her standards. Because today was unfortunately Claire's birthday, and because of Quil's incessant begging, the pack was obligated to celebrate the little terror's first double digit party.

Leah practically dragged herself to Emily and Sam's house, praying that she could blend into the background and make her exit after dropping off the delinquent's gift, and of course, freeloading on pizza. Leah had even put a little effort into her appearance, wearing a plain grey shirt _without_ holes, shorts, and hiking boots. She may have half-combed her hair, but fully combing it would have been more work.

As soon as she arrived, she regretted it. Sam opened the door, a pink streamer adorning his messy hair. His mouth pursed the minute he saw her, and he reluctantly let her in. Leah didn't pay the asshole a single glance.

"Oh, Leah! I'm so glad you could make it! Here, why don't you set your present on the gift table, and I'll led you outside!" Emily exclaimed anxiously, clearly uncomfortable with her cousin's presence. She looked stressed, her hair in disarray and clothes wrinkled as she multitasked in the kitchen. In a different time, Leah would have offered to help her, but she merely raised an eyebrow, carelessly tossing the hot pink gift bag that only her mother, Sue, could have picked out, and escorted herself out the backdoors.

There was no use in pretending that everything was fine between them, that they were still the best friends they used to be.

As Leah walked around the backyard, a group of screaming children pushed past her, making her growl under her breath. If the sound of kids weren't intolerable enough, her enhanced wolf senses were completely overwhelmed with how pink everything seemed to be. As she plopped herself down in one of the ribbon adorned lawn chairs, she suddenly noticed someone was sitting next to her.

"Hey big sis, didn't think you'd make it! You're…about 40 minutes late!" exclaimed Leah's too-optimistic little brother, Seth. She rolled her eyes uncaringly. "Yeah, I'm sure I was dearly missed, asswipe. Where's the food?" she replied sarcastically. Used to his sister's behavior, he merely let out a laugh. "Come on, it's a party, Leah! Lighten up!"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to _be_ here!"

Seth sighed, knowing he would never win this back and forth. "You should have seen it before. Quil is apparently the entertainment for the day, you should've seen the amount of kids crawling on him for piggy back rides! I swear, the stuff he does for Claire would be just a little too much for me." He said with a chuckle.

Leah grunted.

"Well, I guess you're not the only one not having fun. Look at that kid over there," he pointed out. Leah glanced over to see a boy around Claire's age sitting by himself at one of the decorated picnic tables. The kid was definitely not from the reservation, with his dirty blonde waves, blue eyes, and freckles pale skin. He was fidgeting nervously, eyes lowered to the ground.

Something unexplainable intrigued Leah about the boy. Why wasn't he playing with all the other kids? Why was he so nervous? As she continued to stare on, a voice disrupted her from her thoughts. "Hey, I dare you to ask what his problem is." Seth sniggered, obviously in need of something to do. Leah would have normally rolled her eyes, scoffing at his immaturity, but something inside her halted. Brushing off her shorts from the glitter coating her chair, she walked across the lawn to the picnic table.

The boy's eyes darted to her as soon as he sensed her presence, but they quickly returned to his lap. For wolves, negative emotions like anxiety or fear held a very pungent smell, and this kid reeked of it. Leah sat down cautiously, and cleared her throat. "H-Hey kid, why aren't you playing or whatever?" she asked uncomfortably. The boy's eyes darted again, and he looked away from her. "Come on kid, I'm not gonna-whoa."

And it was at that moment that Leah's whole entire world imploded. As his baby blue eyes connected with hers, she felt the ties of everything she ever cared about slowly slipping away. Her surroundings-the background noise, the obscenely pink décor-faded as the boy in front of her came into laser focus. Her heart was beating out of her chest, her lungs constricted tightly as her whole body shook.

This nervous little boy in front of her, with golden blonde waves, a smattering of freckles across his nose, and warm, knowing blue orbs had become the reason for living…hell, for her whole existence in the matter of seconds.

"Oh shit!" cackled someone in the background.

Leah Clearwater had imprinted. 


	2. Laugh

**A/N: Hey guys, chapter 2 is up! Please review! Kisses!**

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 _This nervous little boy in front of her, with golden blonde waves, a smattering of freckles across his nose, and warm, knowing blue orbs had become the reason for living…hell, for her whole existence in the matter of seconds._

" _Oh shit!" cackled someone in the background._

 _Leah Clearwater had imprinted._

It all happened in slow motion. As Leah and this small, fragile boy stared at each other for what seemed like ages, a strong hand ripped her backwards and off of the picnic bench. Letting out an inhuman growl, she saw that it was Jake, her ever-present alpha. "Leah, you need to calm down right now." He demanded. Leah shook so hard that she was practically vibrating, and gnashed her teeth at the hand gripping her arm as her eyes flashed yellow. Seth had made his way to the opposite to the side of the table to guard the child from his sister, who continued to lash out at her alpha. "Leah, you are about to phase. You are scaring him, Leah. You are scaring your imprint." Jake said in authoritative voice.

Leah glanced over to the boy, and saw that hidden behind Seth's legs were a pair of watery baby blue eyes. Wringing his hands nervously, he was clearly terrified at the sight before him.

Before another word could be said, Leah sprinted off into the woods at supernatural speeds. Behind her was Quil, who looked very concerned despite the hot pink party hat adorning his head, and Jake. Collapsing against a tree, Leah struggled to get her breathing back to normal. How could this have happened? He was a little boy!

"Um…congratulations?" Quil coughed nervously, unsure of what to say. When he had imprinted, he had felt as though he were finally at peace, everything finally clicked. He definitely did not almost phase or endanger his Claire.

Even in her struggle, Leah still found it within herself to roll her eyes. Little by little, she was able to regain her breathing, and after 10 minutes, she finally slumped against a tree, defeated.

"I'm not a pedophile," she barked, her eyes glowering at the two men in front of her. Jake and Quil, bewildered, shook their heads. "No, of course not, we know that. Imprinting on a child doesn't automatically make you a pervert." Jake assured. "Yeah, our relationships with Claire and Nessie aren't like that. It's protective, like an older sibling." Quil explained. Leah shook her head, disbelieving. "How could this happen to me?" she whispered, knowing the men could hear. Quil glared at her. "You know Leah, for once in your life, you aren't the victim of anything. You just received the greatest gift anyone could ask for, and you're still miserable. For God sakes, take a chance will you?!" he snapped harshly. Leah flinched noticeably, letting out an exhausted scoff. "What do I do? Tell me what to do. I have no idea how…or what…it will take to make this work. I just scared the shit out of him."

Jake sighed, slightly relieved that despite Leah's ferocity and stubbornness, she was finally succumbing to the magic of the imprint. "Well, do what feels natural. Don't try to force a relationship right away, just try to get to know him for now. Even though he may have been afraid, kids bounce back fast. He'll probably forget all about it." Jake shrugged. His relationship with Renesmee began at her birth, and had been fast paced ever since. Giving Leah instructions on how to be with a normal human boy was a little out of his league.

Leah ran a hand through her chin length hair, and let out a deep breath. Her body had stopped shaking minutes ago, but the aftershocks of her almost-phase still quaked through her body. She knew what she had to do, and although she had spent her existence hating the idea of an imprint, she knew that fighting it would make her life significantly worse, if it were possible. Besides, what did she have to lose? He was a 9 year old boy, he couldn't exactly break her heart. Maybe this is just what she needed.

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When Leah made it back to the party, she couldn't help but look for the little boy. Just where she had left him, he was sitting at the same picnic table. Seth sat across him, staring intently at what appeared to be some sort of board game on the table. "Sorry dude, I've got nothing." Her brother said exasperatedly. The little boy also stared intently at the board, his eyebrows pulled together in focus. As Leah approached, she saw what they were playing.

Scrabble.

Leah approached her brother, coughing lightly as a sign for him to exit. "Hey, Leah! Why don't you come and play for me? I'm sure you'll be a lot better at it than I am." Seth said grinning as his sister glared down at him. With a nod to his opponent, Seth took his leave, and Leah sat down in his place. "Mind if I play?" she asked warily, trying to feign confidence. The boy looked at her briefly, and after what looked like some reluctance, he shook his head. Leah smiled lightly, pleased that at least he hadn't screamed in horror or ran away. "Well I have to warn you, I'm not the best player, so this game might go a little quicker than planned." She chuckled nervously. The corner of the boy's mouth turned up ever so slightly, and Leah felt an excited buzz in her heart.

And sure enough, Leah was beat in about 15 minutes. The boy was certainly smart, especially for his age. The game finally ended, and everyone was called into the house to sing happy birthday to Claire. The boy slowly rose from the bench, and Leah finally took in what he was wearing. A well worn pair of jeans that were slightly to baggy for his frame, red and white striped long sleeved shirt, a blue hooded sweater, and a pair of dirty adidas sneakers, it was definitely less fashionable than what many of the other kids were wearing. And it was definitely a lot of layers considering the nice weather.

She found that she couldn't stop staring at him. Trying to learn about this boy just based on his reactions, every move he made was under Leah's soul-baring eyes as she tried to analyze her imprint. She knew he was definitely not a talker, he didn't even really sing 'Happy Birthday', instead whispering it under his breath so that only a wolf like her could hear. His whole demeanor had a certain quietness to it, even his voice was soft and soothing unlike most of the boys at this damned party, who were rowdy and rambunctious.

He was perfect.

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It was nearing the end of this party, and unlike the times where Leah would have been thanking the Gods for the end to her suffering, she found herself feeling desperate and scared. Would she ever see him again? God, she didn't even know his name.

Leah continued to play another monotonous round of Scrabble with the boy. As much as she hated the stupid game, she knew it wasn't really a competition as the boy was clearly a human dictionary, and she was, well…not. He was forming words like 'fictitious' and 'catacomb', while hers were mostly made up ones that he had definitely let her get away with. The corners of his mouth curled up every time she made a word like 'snorg' and gave an overly confident definition of the word. "Snorg is a wild animal from the Panamanian forest. Very rare, that's why you haven't heard of it." She said with faux bravado. The boy's cheeks reddened as he tried to contain his smile, making Leah's heart sore. Just as she was about to put another letter down, he gave a gentle cough. Looking up, she saw that the boy was looking at her with questioning eyes, his hand held out cautiously. "Wha-? You want my letter?" she asked curiously. He merely turned over the letter so he could see it, and guided her hand gently to the board.

Still surprised at the physical contact, Leah hadn't even looked at what he was doing. The boy smiled a half smile as she glanced at the board.

 _Laugh._

The word was laugh.

Just as Leah was about to cry in victory, the boy glanced up at the sky knowingly. It was dusk, and he was clearly due home soon. He slowly rose from the bench, zipped up his sweater, and started to put the game pieces back.

Disappointment rang through her body. She knew it had to end sometime, but so soon?

She helped the kid put the pieces back, trying to take her time so her time with her imprint wouldn't end so abruptly. But even that came to a close, and she was left standing at the picnic table, gripping the game so hard it could have broken. He gave her a little nod and one of those infamous half smiles, and started to leave.

That was it? Would she get to see him again?

Unable to stop herself, she caught up to him as he made his exit.

" Hey, what's your name?" she asked, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. The boy blushed, looking unsure that she was talking to him. "What's your name, bud?" she asked again. He gulped noticeably, his eyes darting to the ground.

In the quietest whisper Leah had ever heard in her whole life, the boy spoke.

"I-Isaac." 


	3. Reactions

**A/N: Hey guys! Chapter 3 is here, and the reaction to Leah's imprint is going to be prominent in this chapter. She gets to learn a little about Isaac, and will have to face some harsh realities. Please review!**

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" _Hey, what's your name?" she asked, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. The boy blushed, looking unsure that she was talking to him. "What's your name, bud?" she asked again. He gulped noticeably, his eyes darting to the ground._

 _In the quietest whisper Leah had ever heard in her whole life, the boy spoke._

" _I-Isaac."_

The party was finally over, and after all of the kids left, Claire fell asleep unceremoniously in Quil's lap after her big day. The pack was called into Emily's kitchen for a meeting, obviously to talk about Leah's imprint.

 _Great,_ she thought bitterly.

"So I don't think I really have to discuss why we are all here. Today, Leah has reached a very important milestone in her life. She found her imprint." Jake announced. Leah rolled his eyes at his sappy introduction, but was surprised at the round of applause his words triggered. Her pack mates looked at her proudly, even relieved. She knew they were happy that her bitchy miserable days were over, not that she had found her soulmate.

Oh well. She would take what she could get.

She smiled slightly, and briefly glanced over at Emily and Sam. Sam looked genuinely happy for her, and Emily looked like she could cry of happiness. Leah wanted to vomit.

"So, what's his name, Leah?" Jared asked curiously, holding Kim in his arms. Every part of her wanted to growl at him, wanting to keep Isaac hers and hers alone. But she knew he was just asking to be a good guy. "His name is Isaac." She said simply. But behind those words were the love and adoration she was already feeling. From the corner of her eye, she saw Emily's smile drop slightly. Leah wanted to ignore the change in her cousin's demeanor, she really did. All she wanted to do was bask in the happiness that her imprinting had left her in. But Emily's faltering smile was enough to set off something deep inside her.

"What, _Emily?_ You a little sad that I'm not pining after your husband anymore?" Leah sneered. Sam growled warningly, but Leah didn't care. "Why can't I be happy for once without you interfering?! I finally have _this._ And you frown upon it? Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Leah was shaking now. Emily had absolutely no right to react to her imprinting _at all._ She should have just stayed in the background, and clapped like everyone else. But even in Leah's crowning moment, Emily had to ruin it, like she had ruined everything else. "O-Of course, I'm happy for you-"

"Then what the _fuck_ is the problem?!"

"I-I'm just a little worried-"

"You have absolutely no right to concern yourself with this, you piece of-"

"LEAH." Boomed a voice from her right. Jake used his alpha command, and Leah reluctantly backed down. Didn't he see Leah's point? Emily was trying to tear everything apart again!

Emily took a deep breath. "Leah, I'm so happy for you. I really am. I'm just worried because of some rumors circulating around the reservation-"

"WHAT RUMORS."

Emily ran a hand through her long black hair, clearly unsure as to how to approach the matter. "Do you know about Ron Maxwell? He was in the newspapers a few years ago?" she asked tentatively. Leah was confused. Everyone remembered Ron Maxwell. An abusive alcoholic and enemy to the reservation council, some poor kid had accused him of molestation, but nothing ever happened because the kid was too afraid to testify in court. It really divided the rez, no one knew what to believe. Only a few weeks later, the kid and his family packed their bags and moved to Arizona.

"Yeah, what about him?" Leah replied, failing to see how this criminal had anything to do with her imprint. Emily released a ragged breath. "I-Isaac is his stepson."

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Leah saw red. "Are you serious?" she asked, whimpering. Isaac, the quiet little boy with the soft blue eyes was that disgusting criminal's stepson? "Isaac's mom married him about 4 years ago. I know her since Isaac and Claire play in the same park, and she's kind of unstable. Compulsive smoker and all that. She's a paleface from Oregon, which is why Isaac is the only white kid on the whole reservation." Emily explained. _God, what a fucked up situation,_ Leah thought to herself. What kind of childhood could her imprint be having?

Jake looked at her pityingly, unsure of what to say to council his packmate. "There's been some times at the park where…" Emily started.

"Where what?"

"Sometimes…sometimes Isaac has had some pretty big bruises. I've asked his mom about them on the few times she stays at the park, since she's had some too, but she assures he's very clumsy and nothing else is happening." Emily said softly. Leah couldn't stop shaking. Her imprint, a little boy no older than 10, may be being abused?

"We don't know anything for sure, Leah-"

Paul, who straightened from his position against the wall, scoffed. "Are you kidding? That seems like pretty obvious evidence to me. Its hardly a coincidence that a known felon in the community also has a roughed up kid. Take it from me. I know." He said coldly. Rachel, his imprint, rubbed his arm comfortingly. Everyone knew that Paul's father was an alcoholic with a tendency to beat his family, before he died. Hearing about Isaac must have brought back some less than happy memories.

"Well, Leah, if you want, you can come with Claire and I to the park tomorrow afternoon. He is always there, rain or shine, and I'm sure he would like to see you again." Emily asked hopefully. Leah rolled her eyes. "I'll think about it."

Everyone, including Leah, knew she would be at that park bright and early.


	4. Yellow Raincoat

A/N: Come on guys, I am staaaaaaarving for reviews! Please let me know what you think! Kisses!

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" _Well, Leah, if you want, you can come with Claire and I to the park tomorrow afternoon. He is always there, rain or shine, and I'm sure he would like to see you again." Emily asked hopefully. Leah rolled her eyes. "I'll think about it."_

 _Everyone, including Leah, knew she would be at that park bright and early._

And that's how it began. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Leah Clearwater would head to the Deerhead Park playground. Every time, little Isaac Maxwell would be waiting on one of the swings, not swinging, but dragging his dirty adidas sneaker in the woodchips beneath his feet. It was getting cooler out as winter approached, but Isaac became easier to detect with his light yellow raincoat that was definitely not warm enough for the increasingly cold weather.

Isaac and Leah would speak rarely, and most of the time, it was Leah doing the talking. She would ask him about his day, or about school. Sometimes she would tell him funny stories about her childhood, like how she sat on chocolate pudding in the cafeteria in the 4th grade, and had to walk home with 'poopy pants', or when she tried to steal a turtle from the beach and a Rez park ranger had to call her parents for disrupting wildlife. It was stories like those that would tug that little half smile onto his face, as his eyes twinkled in silent laughter. It made Leah feel on top of the world, that she could evoke such a reaction from an otherwise quiet kid.

Emily and Claire would always go to the park with her, but would eventually venture off into other parts of the playground, while Isaac chose to sit on the swings. Emily would often try to talk to her, see how her new friendship with the little boy was going. Leah wouldn't offer more than a few words, but it was definitely an improvement after the years of silence between the cousins. Seth would also sometimes accompany her, but it was hard not to notice how Isaac would retreat back into himself with the young man's company. He tried not to take it to heart.

It was mid-November. Leah's park meets with Isaac had been going on for over a month, and she noticed that some days she would make great progress with him, even catching a quiet giggle from him, and there would be other days where he would blankly stare out into space, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. She realized Isaac would come out of his shell at his own pace, and if she was patient enough, the days where his baby blue eyes would light up would occur more often.

It was a colder day, even for the fall. To keep up appearances, Leah would dress appropriately for the weather despite her supernatural temperature of 108. She decided on a La Push High School hoodie, a pair of her brother's gloves, and a scarf.

As soon as she arrived at the park, she noticed that Isaac was not dressed warmly enough. He still had that light yellow raincoat, and a grey Eskimo hat. No gloves, no scarf, and no warm winter jacket. Emily and Claire had since stopped coming to the park since it was too cold out, and Quil would have a fit if the little girl caught a bug. Isaac was sitting on the swing, shivering, rubbing his hands together to keep warm.

"Hey bud, aren't you cold?" Leah asked worriedly as she took a seat in the swing beside him. He briefly glanced up at her, and shook his head. His body, of course, betrayed him, and a shiver ripped through him. Leah looked at him concernedly, unsure as to why he was lying. "It's really cold out, Isaac. That jacket isn't enough to keep you warm." She tried again. His eyes were downcast, as if he had heard it all before. Why wouldn't his mom dress him more warmly? Didn't she realize how cold it was outside?

Leah pulled her hoodie off, unraveling her scarf and removing her gloves. Isaac stared at her, obviously confused as to why his new friend was removing her clothes. "Here, take these. I don't ever get cold, and you look like you need it a little more than me." She assured, helping him out of his ratty raincoat. He shook his head furiously, pushing the clothes back into her arms. "Why not? Feel my hand, I promise I'm always warm. I don't need these clothes, I just wear them because I think it would look weird if I went outside in the cold in a t shirt." She chuckled. His blue orbs met hers, and past the obvious sadness and embarrassment, she could see a twinge of hope. He touched her hand softly, causing an excited buzz to run up Leah's arm. Comforted by her warmth, and unable to ignore the cold any longer, he slowly pulled on the scarf and gloves.

"See? That's better, right?" she asked, worried Isaac might still be cold. He nodded his head, a smile tugging at his lips.

Her one sided conversation continued as always, and she spoke about her times on the La Push girl's basketball team. She wasn't the best, but it had been a fun way to waste time. Isaac seemed very distracted throughout the story, constantly looking over his shoulder and fidgeting. "Hey bud?" Leah asked tentatively. His eyes met hers worriedly. "I think you should maybe wait for winter to end to come back to the park. It's getting a lot colder, and I don't want you to get sick." She explained. Although it would pain her not to see her imprint in their normal setting, knowing he wasn't ill because of her selfish imprinting needs was a comfort.

Isaac's eyes flashed to hers fearfully, searching her for something Leah didn't know. "N-No." he whispered so quietly, Leah had to lean in to hear. "Isaac, its not that I don't want to spend time with you, of course I do. But winter is coming, and you could get sick or freeze and I'm sure your mom wouldn't be happy about that." She tried. He furiously shook his head, and at the mention of his mother, his body tensed. "I-It's not t-too cold." He protested. A weak smile adorned Leah's face. "Bud, I'm not saying its forever. When spring comes, we can come to the park again."

Isaac's eyes became watery, and Leah's heart broke. "P-Please, Leah. Please d-don't go." He begged. She was torn. His safety was of the utmost importance, but she couldn't find it in her to say no to the boy. After a sigh, she finally nodded. "Okay, Isaac, but you have to promise me you will not come to the park if its snowing, raining, hailing, or its below 20 degrees. Promise me." She said sternly. The boy nodded his head, obviously relieved.

The boy significantly brightened at the idea that their park adventures would continue, but Leah couldn't stop worrying. Why was he so adamant about going to the park? Was something going on at home?

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Leah returned home from the park that day at 8 o'clock, crashing onto her bed. She had spent half of her attempt to go home comforting the boy, reassuring him that she would be back and she wasn't abandoning him. Her imprint was really worrying her, and she was finding it harder to ignore the instinct inside of her that notified her that something was wrong with the little boy. She didn't want the reservation rumors to be true. She wanted to think that Isaac was safe at home, and that he had two doting parents that would yell at him when he came home because it was passed his curfew.

But somehow, Leah knew that wasn't the case.

A few minutes later, a knock was heard at her door. Grabbing a pillow to throw over her head, she groaned. " _What?!"_ she barked.

Sue Clearwater was a very loving mother, and considering her two children were shapeshifting wolves with inhuman tendencies, she let a lot of her children's behaviors slide. But she would never tolerate rudeness.

"I hope you're not talking to me that way." She warned. Leah sighed, looking up at her mother. "Sorry, I thought you were Seth."

"Mhmm."

"…I had a rough day."

Sue glanced up, surprised. Ever since Harry died, Leah was not very open, especially about her feelings. "It's Isaac, isn't it?" she asked cautiously.

Sue had found out only hours after Leah's initial imprinting about the little boy, and while she couldn't be more ecstatic for her daughter, she was also well acquainted with Isaac's stepfather.

Leah nodded her head. "Mom, he came to the park today dressed in a raincoat. I told him it was getting too cold to keep going to the park, and I almost made him cry. I don't know what to do." She whimpered. Sue rubbed her daughter's back comfortingly. "Honey, I know it's hard for you, but you have to weigh the possibility that Isaac may not be getting treated well at home."

Leah released a small growl, immediately cut off by her mother's glare. "Leah, I can't tell you what to do. In this situation, there may not be a right or wrong approach. But you have to try to get him to open up."

"Mom, he barely talks."

"I know. But if you want to help him, you have to start trying. I know it hurts to see him in pain, but if that boy needs help, you have to be the one to give it."


	5. Hurting

A/N: PLEASE GUYS REVIEW I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS IS GOOD KISSES

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" _Mom, he barely talks."_

" _I know. But if you want to help him, you have to start trying. I know it hurts to see him in pain, but if that boy needs help, you have to be the one to give it."_

Leah Clearwater was worried sick.

It was December, and despite Leah's pleads with Isaac to wait until the spring to come to the park, his incessant begging led to her return to Deerhead Park every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

However, this particular weekend, Isaac hadn't shown up.

Leah wanted to believe he was just sick, or his family took a weekend trip. Maybe he was grounded, or he had a big spelling test to study for.

But something in the core of Leah's being knew that something was wrong with her imprint.

She had waited in the park Friday and Saturday until about 9pm, not wanting to leave in case he made a late appearance. But for those two days, there was not a single sign of Isaac. "Maybe he finally came to his senses about the weather." Seth had joked. But Leah didn't laugh, because she knew Isaac would never abruptly stop going. She would have seen it coming. Everything seemed to have been going well, she even gave Isaac a few pairs of Seth's old clothes to keep him warm. He was slowly becoming more talkative, saying a few words here and there.

It was around 8pm on Sunday, and Leah was unwilling to give up. She would stay until her usual time, despite Sue's insistence that she come home. She spun herself around in the swing as the time passed by.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a figure. Out of all the wolves in the pack, she had the keenest eyesight, and knew her eyes never betrayed her. As the figure drew closer, through the darkness, she could make out that the person was small, and walking oddly.

"Isaac?" Leah called out timidly. The figure looked up. It was her imprint.

"Isaac! Where have you been? I was so worried about you." She rushed worriedly, walking over to him. The boy stared at the ground, his fists clenching beside him. She delicately laid her hands on his shoulders as she bent down, and he flinched noticeably. "Isaac?" she whispered. He continued to stare at the ground, and Leah noticed a tear slid off of his face onto the ground. "I-Isaac what's the matter? Did something happen?" she tried. The boy refused to look at her. Gently, she jerked his chin so he would face her. Isaac winced.

A black eye.

Isaac's eye was completely swollen shut, and big ugly bruise wrapped around the perimeter of his eye, making him look like a raccoon. Leah gasped. "Who did this to you?!" she whisper-yelled, afraid what he would do if she raised her voice. Tears continued to slide down his reddened cheeks, and he shook his head. Leah fumed. Why wouldn't he tell her? Hadn't she proved that she cared about him? That she loved him? "Isaac, tell me who did this! I can help you, bud, I can, but you have to tell me-"

"I-I fell." He interrupted. He couldn't even look into her eyes as he said it, but there was a certain detached somberness about the way he said these words. She could tell he probably said excuses like this all the time. Leah had to hold back a growl.

"Isaac, falling and hurting yourself would not do this type of damage. Tell me who did this." She said carefully. He just continued to shake his head, his small fists opening and closing. "Is it your stepdad? Ron, right? That's his name?" she interrogated. The boy whimpered, and it was at that exact moment that Leah's biggest fears were confirmed. Leah did her best to restrain the wolfish roar attempting to escape her throat. "I'm going to kill him, I swear to God Isaac I' m going to slaughter-"

"No."

Leah stopped in her tracks. " _What?"_ she questioned. Isaac continued to look at the ground. "L-Leah, I need y-you to promise m-me."

"Yes, anything."

"Y-You can't h-hurt him."

"Anything _but_ that." How could he even ask her of that? Did he realize what seeing him like this did to her? The fact that somebody could hurt her little boy, someone who was so innocent and naïve and kind, what kind of disgusting piece of sh-

"L-Leah, please. Y-You can't. We n-need him. H-He takes care of u-us."

She was at a loss as to what to do. This idea that he needed this man was obviously drilled into his head by his weak, insecure mother. Did he not see that this was wrong? "Isaac. Good fathers, fathers that little boys like you need, don't hit. They don't hit their kids." She explained slowly and seriously.

Isaac had never shown much emotion, everything about his presence around the she-wolf was controlled and carefully displayed. He had wanted her to see a fraction of himself, not wanting to get any more attached than he already was. But the young boy clearly could not hold it in anymore, and collapsed into Leah's arms.

Gut wrenching sobs left the small child's body, and Leah felt tears in her own eyes. This poor kid had been harboring this all on his own for so long, and he wouldn't even let her do anything about it.

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Much to Leah's reluctance, Isaac went back to his broken home, claiming that he was alright and she shouldn't worry.

But it was too late for that.

When she arrived home, she was dead on her feet. Isaac's sobs had taken a huge toll on her emotionally, and she felt lost and confused. Should she try to tell someone about her imprint's stepfather? Or would it make it worse for the little boy?

About to drag herself to bed, she noticed Seth sitting at the kitchen table expectantly. Noticing the dried tears on his sister's face, he frowned sympathetically. "He's being abused, isn't he?" Seth said quietly.

Bursting into hysterics, Leah fell against the wall, sliding down as she ran her hands through her hair. "And there's nothing I can do, Seth. Nothing."


	6. Elephants Never Forget

**A/N: A very, very special shoutout to brankel1, the first reviewer of my story! Thank you so much for giving me feedback, it means the world! With reviews from my readers, not only do I feel more motivated to post chapters, but it improves my skills as a writer. Many, many kisses! Keep reviewing!**

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It was now March, and the long cold winter was finally over. Leah sat on the swing in Deerhead Park next to Isaac. A word was not spoken between the two.

Leah had since learned since all those months ago not to mention if she saw a new bruise or wound adorning her imprint's skin, it upset him greatly and he would only retreat further into himself, and however selfish it may have been, Leah didn't know if she could handle his thousand-yard stare again.

"Leah?" whispered a soft voice from her left. Looking over, Isaac's massive blue eyes bore into hers. "Do you know anything about elephants?"

Leah's eyebrows furrowed. Elephants? "No, I don't think so bud. Do you?" she asked. His cheeks reddened. Isaac wasn't used to someone listening to him, never mind hanging onto his every word. "I got a book about 'em from the library. You remind me of an elephant." He replied. Leah had to hold back a laugh. To anyone else, being compared to an elephant would be a downright insult, but Isaac wasn't just anyone. "What do you mean?" she questioned. His blush grew deeper if it were even possible. "E-Elephants are some of the smartest animals in the whole world. And they can feel things, too, like they can feel happy, and they can feel sad, and they can even joke around! And the groups, called herds, are led by a girl elephant. You're like the girl elephant because you're the leader. And all the other animals like them, just like how everyone likes you." He said seriously. Leah smiled, and rustled the boys golden locks. It was rare that Isaac showed so much interest in something.

"I think they're my new favorite animal."

"Well if they're you're favorite, kid, then they're mine, too."

Isaac looked up at her, and instead of one of his small half smiles, he released a genuine, yet soft, grin. "Have you ever been to a zoo, Leah?" he asked, fiddling with the zipper on his sweater. "Yeah, I think everyone has."

"Well, I've never gone, 'cause we were supposed to for Mrs. Hawk's class but then it rained and we couldn't go. But one day, I'm gonna go even further than the zoo. I'm gonna go to Africa, and I'm gonna see the elephants myself. And I'm gonna draw pictures of them and take lots of pictures, so you can see them too."

Leah beamed at him, making the boy's smile get a little bigger. "And you wanna know something else about elephants, Leah?"

"Sure, bud."

"Elephants never forget. They remember everything. And you're kinda like that, too, 'cause you never forgot about me."

Leah could have cried, the words were simultaneously beautiful and sad, but she held back the tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Well, tell you what, Isaac. I may not be able to take you to Africa right away, but I promise you, someday, I'll take you to a zoo in Seattle where I know for a _fact_ they have elephants."

Isaac's smile faltered for a second, a darkness Leah hadn't seen before dancing in his eyes. But before she could react, her little boy's arms wound around her waist. "Yeah, someday."

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Leah had to report to a pack meeting with the Cullens that day, much to her anger. People her age looked forward to the weekend to get drunk and party, but the excitement she felt (that could rival most 20 year olds) all stemmed from knowing she would get to spend time with a very special little boy. How was she supposed to stay focused when Isaac was the only thing she could think of?

Leah arrived at the glass mansion in the middle of the woods with a noticeable restlessness. She stood in the leech's chrome and granite themed kitchen, glancing at the clock every few seconds. The sooner she could leave, the sooner she could go see her imprint, who would undoubtedly have some new fact for her about the large animals he's been recently obsessed with.

The mind reader, Edward, glanced at her repeatedly, curiosity in his golden eyes. A part of her wanted to get ticked off, but all she could think about was what a waste of her energy it would be to argue with him when she could be using it for

Isaac. Unfortunately, her plans to ignore him backfired when the bronze-haired vampire approached her. "So, you found your imprint." He stated simply. Unable to restrain herself, she rolled her eyes. "What's your point, leech?" she scoffed. He shrugged his shoulders, a playful smirk on his face. "Well, it's nice to see that you finally may have a chance to be happy. Maybe sometime, we can all meet him,"

Leah hissed at him, her eyes flashing zero. "As if I would bring the one thing I care about into a room with a bunch of bloodsuckers. Stay away from him." She growled menacingly. The smirk still on his face, he shrugged again. "He's a little small for his age. 9 years old, wow Leah, I didn't know you liked them so young." Edward joked.

Leah slammed her fist against the granite countertop, leaving a crack in the stone. "Don't talk about my imprint, don't look at my imprint, an lastly, don't rifle through my thoughts to find out more about my imprint. He's _mine._ " She replied viciously.

Just when she thought she was done with these creeps, the fairy-like one, Alice, bounced over to her. "Awww, another imprint! This is so exciting! When can we all meet him? I could buy him clothes and toys and-"

"HOLY FUCK, NO ONE IS GOING TO MEET HIM ANYTIME SOON SO LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE ABOUT ISAAC AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS." She snapped. Alice merely giggled and pranced away.

Leah didn't want any of these fuckers to even glance Isaac's way. He was a little boy, and he didn't deserve the home life he already had, never mind getting pulled into a supernatural mess. She would keep the wolf side of her and the imprint a secret from him until it was absolutely dire that he knew.

Isaac deserved normality.


End file.
